Survivor Story: As She Was Leaving, He Attacked Her with Her Baby in Her Arms
Submitted by: Amanda, Survivor On average, it takes seven attempts to leave before a victim successfully exits an abusive relationship. There are many reasons why exiting is so difficult. Some victims may not want to break their family apart or rely on the abusive partner to survive. Others hold out hope that the abuser will […]
Survivor Story: She Survived an Assault That Required Reconstructive Surgery
Submitted by: *Patricia, Survivor Children who grow up in homes with domestic violence are at increased risk of abuse and neglect. Additionally, the on-going trauma in the home extensively affects the children’s mental and physical health. Victims often report that leaving an abuser or seeking out safer living arrangements is heavily influenced by a need […]
Survivor Story: I Was Forced to Give Up My Pets When I Left
Written by: Kenna, Survivor Many survivors face the heartbreaking decision of leaving an abuser or staying because they fear for their pets’ safety. Increasing numbers of shelters and cooperating agencies are expanding services for victims in crisis that include sheltering pets. Unfortunately, these programs are still not available in many areas, and pets are often […]
Survivor Story: She Survived an Attack That Left Her Fearing for Her Life
Submitted by: Nicole, Survivor Gaslighting is a tactic that abusers use to manipulate their victims and cause them to doubt their perception of reality. This enables the abuser to gain and keep control over their victim, who will no longer be able to trust their objectivity but will also, despite all evidence to the contrary, […]
Survivor Story: As the Abuse Escalated, She Slowly Lost Herself
Submitted by: *Amber, Survivor Survivors of domestic violence do not go into a relationship expecting to be abused. Even when they have helped others leave an abusive partner, they may not recognize the signs of abuse in time to help themselves. Over time, the effects of abuse and shame and isolation become more difficult to […]
Survivor Story: Abuse Was Just “A Part of Life”
Submitted by: Dawn, Survivor Survivors of child abuse and childhood domestic violence are at higher risk of being abused in romantic relationships as teens and adults. The presence of any abuse in the home conditions them to view abuse in personal relationships as normal, even acceptable. Survivor Dawn shares with us how the normalization of […]
